Chapter 21 I’d Rather Jump into a Fire
Than Dig Through Trash
Ingrid never chially intended to be with Jasper. She just wanted to plissori Brandon.
“Mr. Geppard, I have no obligation to keep your secrets. If you have any issues with Mr. Clifford, feel free to tell him yourself.
Brandon’s exprepdan tightened. “Do you like him?”
Ingrid didn’t hesitate. “I can tell you with abulate cestainty that I don’t like you anymore.
He refused to believe it. “What will it take for you to believe that there’s nothing between me and Zell?—
11 Ingrid weren’t trying to keep her dignity intact, she would’ve just repeated the exact weil Prandom hadroht Zelda that day.
But doing that wouldn’t accomplish anything, it would by humiliate het sell and inflate his eps, making him think all this “drama was just ber desperate attempt to win him back.
Ingrid befored in checking herself before quiticizing others Mites thinking it wet, the decided Brandon wasn’t even worth ir
She said with composure. “You don’t need to do anything if we can partum prodterms, I’ll consider you a decent persen
Tandon locked eyes with her. “Til make you believe me.”
Ingrid had a gut feeling that he wasn’t even trying to be a decent person, let alone a human.
The elevator doors opened and a delivery guy stepped out with her order. But before she could tract, ficandon took the bag and handed it to her. “Lock your door. Get some rese“ Ingrid that the door in his face. She looked down at the bag of fuit in her hands. Throwing it away felt like a waste, but eating it made her sick.
ingrid’s two dies off were somehow more exhausting than work. By the time she dragged held back to the hospital at 150 p.m., all the e wanted was to get through her shift in peace Then, she looked up and now Brandon standing at the nurse’s station.
Her first instinct was to turn around and leave, but he had already noticed her. “You’re here.”
Ingrid fotoed a polite smile. “Mr. Ceppard”
”
As she fallowed him down the hall, she ran into Jasper coming from the opposite direction.
Jasper acknowledged Brandon with a nod, but when he looked at Ingild, his face lit up. There you are? Ingrid felt a chill crawl up her spine. She put on her best fake smile, “Mr. Clifford
Jasper said, “Swing by my office Later. I need to talk to you.”
Ingrad felt like she had swallowed a fishbone–uncomfortable, but the had no choice. She nodded.
Jasper brushed past them, and half a minute later, Ingrid followed Brandon into his office. “What do you need?” she asked. Brandon sa down. “Close the door.”
She didn’t move. “If it’s important, say it now. I have to do shift handwer
His expression remained unreadable. “In a rush to see Jasper?”
Ingrid’s expression darkened instantly. He had to be insane
Someone passed by in the hallway
She shut the door and glared at him. “Whar’s
Brandon leatedback “swared to night shifts.”
Ingrid’s expression turned sout
“Whether it’s work or others, come to me anytime if you ever have a problem.”
Ingrid’s patience snapped. “This right here is harassment!
Brandon remained unfazed. I was wrong or only thought about your work, not your feelings. From now on, I’ll put you first. Ingrid had spent years cultivating an image of composure and restraint hat right now? That restraint was on the verge of exploding “Brandon, do you even understand what taking up means? if you can’t treat me like a stranger, the least you can do is expect me
“I told you that I don’t need your help, I don’t need your guilt, and I don’t need your atonement. All ask is that we keep things strictly professional
Branden said calmly, “Give me one more chance. I promise I won’t hurt you again. But you can’t frost Jasper. He’ll only let you down.”
Ingrid met his gaze. “T’drathen jump into a fire pit than dig through the trash “With that, she turned and walked out.
Brandkan’s expression went dark. Their was no way be was losing to Jasper.
